What's up in

Mathematics

Latest Articles

‘Outsiders’ Crack 50-Year-Old Math Problem

November 24, 2015

Three computer scientists have solved a problem central to a dozen far-flung mathematical fields.

Nature’s Critical Warning System

November 18, 2015

Scientists are homing in on a warning signal that arises in complex systems like ecological food webs, the brain and the Earth’s climate. Could it help prevent future catastrophes?

Be Still My Pulsating Sequence

November 12, 2015

Can you infer the simple rule behind a number sequence that spikes up and down like the beating of a heart?

Solution: ‘Creating Art With Mathematics’

October 30, 2015

The solution to this month’s puzzle explains the artful mathematics behind symmetrical patterns.

Theorists Draw Closer to Perfect Coloring

October 20, 2015

A theorem for coloring a large class of “perfect” mathematical networks could ease the way for a long-sought general coloring proof.

Networks Untangle Malaria’s Deadly Shuffle

October 15, 2015

By examining regions shared between some of nature's most variable genes, malaria researchers are piecing together an understanding of a deadly parasite.

A Twisted Path to Equation-Free Prediction

October 13, 2015

Complex natural systems defy analysis using a standard mathematical toolkit, so one ecologist is throwing out the equations.

How to Create Art With Mathematics

October 8, 2015

Can you generate aesthetically pleasing, symmetrical curves with two numbers and a simple mathematical function?

A Magical Answer to an 80-Year-Old Puzzle

October 1, 2015

Using crowd-sourced and traditional mathematics research, Terence Tao has devised a solution to a long-standing problem posed by the legendary Paul Erdős.

Get highlights of the most important news delivered to your email inbox